Guardians of Evil

by C. R. Daems

  An hour later, Sandoff burst through the door.

  “She was right! Weslorl was burned to death.”

  Ruxandra gave him a cool look. “I’m aware of that. I’ve ordered the priests arrested and with your agreement I intend to have Isianna arrested.”

  “She’s the one who collected the gold for the assassins,” Liada said.

  Sandoff nodded. “I agree.”

  An hour later, Kaim whispered in Liada’s ear. “A priest is coming with a Quag,” he said.

  “The Quag is on his left shoulder,” Tali said. Liada felt the brush of air as the two darted behind the desk, out of sight of the Quag.

  The priest stormed into the study, pushing Carllio out of the way.

  “You have no right to arrest priests. The First Ones attacked. We are the only protection you have.”

  Liada walked up to the priest and bowed.

  “Honorable One,” she said then leaped up, sweeping her fist across the priest’s left shoulder. She felt the blow hit. The Quag flew backward and hit the door with a loud thump. Suddenly visible, it lay still on the floor.

  “Tali,” Liada shouted, “what should I do with it?”

  Tali brushed against Liada’s face as she whispered, “Wrap it in something dark. They need the sun for energy, and they won’t dare use their fire inside and fry themselves.”

  The priest grabbed her arm as she turned to where a lap throw lay across the arm of a chair. The policemen jerked his arm away and twisted it behind his back.

  While he held the priest, she wrapped the Quag up.

  “Who’s Tali?” Ruxandra said after the priest had been dragged away shouting.

  “A friend who saved Sandoff’s life and yours, and many hundreds of others.”

  Ruxandra paused and frowned. “We aren’t trading one problem for a worse one, are we?”

  “No. My...friend has no interest in power. She’s sworn to peace.”

  * * * *

  That night Liada walked beside Ruxandra toward the Temple. Several senior priests stood in the front of the entrance. Ruxandra stood at the entrance surrounded by armed guards.

  “I promise you this, priest,” she said. “If you use the Quag, we will kill every one of you in the town.”

  “What are you going to do to us?” a gray-haired priest in a robe with silver trim asked.

  “Nothing if you give us the Quag and leave the Temple—and the town.”

  “Look,” Liada said, pointing to a string of what might have been birds flying high overhead. The Quag had escaped.

  * * * *

  “Sechael is still ahead of us. He’s traveling by carriage though. We’ll go by boat and try to get there before he does. Even better, if he stops in Stonecross, we may get to Osshaft a day or two before him,” Emmund said as Liada threw her things into her bag for the trip to Sporish.

  “I gave Mistress Ruxandra the names of the people on the list in Stonecross. She is going there to talk to them. With what happened here, she should be able to convince them they need to act before the priests do.”

  Chapter 18

  Sponsih: Osshaft

  Liada loved boats, especially fast sleek sail boats, but as far as she was concerned, the trip to Osshaft was couldn’t be too fast. They reached Osshaft just before the sun set. A brilliant orange sky glowed on the horizon. Emmund took them back to the Whaler Inn. The first person they saw was Girta.

  “Are you back to work?” Girta asked. “I can use the help.”

  “I’d love to, Mam, but I think Emmund has things he wants me do during the day,” Liada said with regret.

  “Well, if you get some free time or get bored working for Emmund, I have a place for you,” Girta said. “Come, I’ll show you to your rooms.” She took them up the stairs and down the hall to three adjoining rooms. Emmund waved them into his room.

  “If Sechael didn’t stop at Stonecross, he could be here tomorrow. If he did, he probably won’t arrive until the following day,” Emmund said. Then he looked at Liada. “I’d like to start talking to the people on the list as soon as we can. The assassinations will surely begin as soon as he arrives. We can assume he will leave before it starts as he did in Kenttol.”

  Zeph frowned and shook his head hard. “Liada, Sechael saw you twice. If he sees you, he’ll be on to you for sure.”

  He looked worried and Liada had to admit he was right.

  “Can you change the way you look?”

  “If he sees me again, I’ll be in trouble, but I don’t think a disguise would work. I’ll just have to be careful.”

  Emmund chewed his lip, looking worried for once. “You’re right, I’m afraid.”

  “He doesn’t know me,” Zeph said. “If I’m with you, it might make the difference. If not, I’ll be there to help. Anyway, I’ll feel better.”

  “I’d appreciate that, Zeph.” She knew he wanted to help any way he could. Besides, it would make her feel better and maybe it would keep her from doing something foolish.

  When she followed Zeph out of the room, Emmund stopped her with a hand on her arm. The door to Zeph’s room closed.

  “You be careful, girl. Zeph would try, but he couldn’t protect you.”

  She raised her chin.

  Girl? After all we’ve been through?

  “I’m no girl.”

  He ran his hand up her arm. For some reason, it made her shiver.

  “No. I suppose not.” He shook his head. “This isn’t the time. But—you be careful.”

  * * * *

  Two of the names were on Vistan Street, which was the furthest from the Roganista Temple. Liada and Zeph made the short walk and arrived in fifteen minutes. She left Zeph in a secluded spot under a huge tree to wait as she went up to the first door and knocked. The house was a large red-brick mansion but didn’t have any enclosed courtyard.

  A short stout woman answered the door, although she wasn’t dressed as a maid. “May I help you?”

  “I would like to see Master Jasslin.”

  “Do you have an appointment?”

  “Please tell him it affects his position on the Supreme Council.” She could have said “it affects the council” but that sounded more personal.

  “You can tell me. I’m his wife.”

  She hadn’t thought about this complication. What do you say to a wife? What would someone say to her mother if they wanted to talk to her father?

  “Madam, the information is not private, but it concerns him.”

  “You’ll tell me or you can go.” Liada had a feeling that if she told this woman, she would have the door slammed in her face. Worse yet, the woman might tell the wrong persons what she’d said.

  “That’s too bad, Mam. It will affect your husband and soon,” Liada said and turned to go. She had only taken a few steps before the woman spoke.

  “Come back. This had better be good or you’ll be in trouble.” The woman held the door open as Liada entered. She led her up a wide stairway. The walls were covered with beautifully framed paintings of people, animals, and landscapes. At the end of the hallway, the woman knocked on the door, then opened it.

  “This young woman says she has something to tell you that affects your position on the council.”

  Jasslin rose from where he sat in an oversized black-leather chair. He was a small pot-bellied man with a bushy-gray beard and thinning hair.

  “Well, come in and sit, young lady. It’s been a very boring day so far. I hope you have something of interest to liven it up.” He gave a good-natured laugh. “My wife will bring some kafa. I hope it’s a long and interesting something you have to say.”

  Liada was speechless. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but it certainly wasn’t anything like this. Where to start, she wondered. “I don’t imagine you know what happened in Kenttol two days ago.” It wasn’t really a question but more of a statement of fact. When he shook his head, she continued. “A few members of the House of Laws had prepared a list of other members who were against the
priests. They hired two assassins to kill the people on the list. It was to be done so that it looked like the First Ones did it, so the priests could seize power.” Liada held her breath.

  “I don’t like the way this is going,” Jasslin’s wife said.

  “Please, dear, this is certainly not boring.”

  Just then, a young serving girl entered with a carafe of steaming, fragrant kafa and poured a cup for each of them. Liada took a sip.

  “Please continue.”

  “I warned them, but only Mistress Ruxandra believed me and was prepared. Master Weslorl was burned to death. The assassins came after her next. She had the police waiting, and the assassins were captured. That gave her the evidence to have the priests from Kenttol arrested.”

  “And you’re going to tell me that such a list exists here and that I’m on it.” He made it a statement rather than a question. He sat back and smiled.

  “It’s all nonsense,” his wife exclaimed. “Someone has put her up to telling you this ridiculous story. Turn her over to the police.”

  “But what if it’s true? She may be young but it does sound possible. Do I have time to check it out?” he asked.

  “I doubt it.” Liada searched for the right words to make him believe. But what could a young woman say to someone like Jasslin? She couldn’t tell him the whole truth without sounding more absurd. “I can only tell you what Mistress Ruxandra said: It’s better to act on her tip and appear the fool, than not to and be dead.”

  “A wise woman. Do you know the assassins?”

  “We know one. A man named Jym.”

  “I knew it. She said ‘we,’” his wife said.

  “Of course. You don’t think she found this all by herself. Do you?”

  Actually, this silly young woman did. A flash of anger went through her. Liada went on to explain how Ruxandra handled her warning.

  “How long do you think?” he asked. He wasn’t smiling anymore.

  “Within a day or two after the High Priest arrives. He left Kenttol two days ago by carriage. We left yesterday by boat.”

  “Give me the list, both lists, and I’ll save you the trouble of talking to them. Meet me back here tomorrow at noon, and we’ll talk further. I assure you there will be more questions.”

  Scowling, his wife showed her out. Zeph rejoined her as soon as she stepped outside and she told him everything that had happened as they walked back to the Inn.

  * * * *

  Before daylight the next morning, Liada sent Aliy to watch for Sechael and Kaim to watch his house and then paced her room until it was time to go. She arrived exactly at noon. This time she was led to a different room on the first floor. When she entered, there were four men, a woman, and a policeman.

  “These are the members on the list you gave me. We are in disagreement about what to do with you. Some want you arrested as part of a plot, two are inclined to believe you if you could provide more detail, and one would like you tortured to find out who you work for,” Jesslin said.

  Liada felt herself go pale. If nothing else, the people who didn’t believe her outnumbered the one who might. She decided to say nothing. It was out of her control.

  “Nothing to say?” one of the members asked.

  “What can I say? You’ve already made up your minds. I have no proof but the list I gave you. You can check what happened in Kenttol but it may take too much time.” Liada shrugged. She felt sorry for all the people who would suffer if these people failed to act, but there wasn’t anything more she could do.

  “She’s right, of course. There’s no possible way to prove what she says without going to Kenttol, and if she’s right, it would be too late. It seems she and her friends are plotting against us, or the priests are.”

  Everyone nodded.

  “I’m willing to keep her here, under police arrest, until we determine the truth.” He grinned.

  “What about me, Jesslin? I also would rather be proved foolish than dead,” the woman said.

  “You can stay here if you wish. I have plenty of room.” Jesslin waved, indicating the house. One of the men rose.

  “I’ll agree so long as you turn her over to us if nothing happens. I want to know who put her up to it. She’s hardly more than a girl. How can she know the things she claims?”

  “Absolutely,” another man said while a third nodded.

  “Sit, Jatia. We need to talk,” Jesslin said once the others had left. “This is Mistress Kasinda.”

  “Jatia, what did you do to help protect Ruxandra?” Kasinda asked.

  Liada went on to explain what she did.

  “How?” both Jesslin and Kasinda asked together.

  “I’ll have help from my friends. I’m just a very young woman. Without help, I couldn’t have found the lists, or understood what the priests were planning, or found the assassins. We’ll need the police, and I need you both to stay near to me. Here will be fine.”

  More police arrived a half-hour later and Jesslin led Liada to a spare bedroom with a guard carrying a club and short sword outside the door. She opened the small window facing over the back garden.

  “Well, Tali, the wait begins.”

  “We will do what we can, Liada. The priests won’t call off their plans now. Things have gone too far. They win or lose everything.”

  The maid brought Liada her meals, and emptied the chamber pot but Liada continued to be confined to her room.

  Aliy reported that Sechael arrived by carriage and went to Rychael’s house. Kaim overheard him say, “Take care of those lists. Tonight.” She’d sent a servant to Jym’s house. Kaim stayed to watch Jym, while Aliy stayed to watch Jesslin’s house. That night, one of Kaim’s circle reported that Jym had left his house with two other men.

  Liada knocked at the door. She had to let Jesslin know that the assassins were on the move. The thin-faced policeman on duty opened the door and sneered at her.

  “What do you want?” he asked.

  “I must see Master Jesslin. Now.”

  “I’m afraid not. The priests wouldn’t like it. They know about the fiasco in Kenttol and the young woman that caused it. They will want to get even when this is over.” He stepped into the room.

  Liada backed against the wall, but there was nowhere to go. He grabbed her arm. Taking a rope from his pocket, he tied her hands together. He pulled the rope tight. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering as the rope cut into her skin. He gave her a backhand blow across the face. She stumbled back and landed on the bed. He laughed. “You need a lesson, and I’m going to give you your first one, while Jesslin and Kasind get their just reward for their treachery.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed. She felt something snap and pain ripped through her hand and arm.

  She felt something brush her cheek and the air sparkled.

  “Damnation,” the guard howled and slapped a hand over his eyes, still holding on to her. When he rubbed his eyes, he screeched and let go of her.

  Liada scooted back in the bed. Her hand throbbed so bad it made her feel sick, but she rolled off the other side. The guard groped for her on the bed, cursing. Then, he staggered around the bed waving his arms, tears streaming from red eyes. Liada opened the door a crack as he lurched towards her. As he reached for her, she swung the door open. He rammed into it head first and staggered backward, holding his head. She dashed into the hall and raced down the steps. When she reached the downstairs, steps behind her made her spin around. Another guard grabbed her upper arm.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “The assassins are coming. Warn Jesslin and Kasinda.”

  “It’s about time they got here. There’s a reward out for you and I’m getting it,” he said as he dragged her towards the front door.

  Liada felt Tali brush against her. Then the air sparkled again. The guard howled and grabbed his eyes.

  “What did you do, you witch?” he yelled.

  She shoved him with both hands, pain shooting through her wrist. He stumbled against the w
all, and she ran down the hallway to the study. It took a few seconds to fumble the door open with her left hand. Two policemen stood back against the wall.

  Please. Don’t let them be with the priests, she prayed.

  “The assassins are coming! They’ve killed Master Ulererd—threw him off his roof.”

  “Sergeant Willburt, get the other two guards—”

  “They’re traitors. They tried to stop me from getting to you.” She held up her hand, which by now was red, swollen up like a melon, and throbbing.

  Everyone stood there in shock. It was too late to find more help. Both policemen moved back against the wall to be out of sight when the door opened.

  Kaim landed on her shoulder. It tickled but she was in no mood to laugh.

  “They’re at the back door.”

  “Get ready,” Liada yelped.

  Seconds later the door flew open and three men rushed in. Jesslin and Kasinda scurried behind the desk. Liada ran to them.

  The air shimmered around the assassins. They stumbled, hands to their eyes. One tripped, going to his knees. A guard slammed his club into the back of his head. One of the assassins was swinging his knife around blindly in circles. A guard dashed in behind him and thrust a blade into his back. Blood trickled down his back as he fell with a groan. By that time, the other assassin lay moaning on the floor.

  “Sergeant, get to the station. I want every priest arrested. No exceptions,” Jesslin said. “You, tie up the two other guards.”

  He looked at Liada who nodded. The Sergeant took off running.

  The other guard hesitated until Jesslin pointed towards the door. “I doubt they’ll be any trouble.” He laughed. “I guess I was right to trust my instincts and Ruxandra’s logic.”

  “I need to go back to the Inn. I have to get to Llunris in Gorlack to warn them. They’re next.” Her eyes stung with tears from the throbbing agony in her hand, but this was no time to worry about that.

  “Kasinda, why don’t you go with Jatia. I’ll go with the police to the Temple to be sure they follow orders. And I’d like to know more about Jatia’s friends.”

  Liada nodded although it was hard to think through the pain. There seemed nothing to lose now that the priests were being arrested. Kasinda remained silent as they hurried back to the Inn. When they entered Emmund’s room, Zeph jumped to his feet.